Resettlement, A Rigorous Process

Refugees face a long and difficult process to qualify for resettlement in the United States.

There has been much said about the refugee resettlement process here in the U.S. in recent months. Resettlement presents a life-saving alternative for a very small number of refugees (less than one half of one percent) around the world.

A refugee is someone who has fled from his or her home country and cannot return because he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution based on religion, race, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particu­lar social group.

Refugees seeking resettlement in the United States must pass through a number of steps aimed at ensuring that they will not pose a security risk to the United States. What follows is a list of the steps that all refugees must pass through to come to the U.S.

The robust and multi-layered series of security checks, including biometrics, medical screenings, interagency intelligence sharing, and in-person interviews are extraordinary tools—and they are effective.

Your gifts make it possible for us to welcome new refugees when they arrive.

This process can take up to two years to complete for many refugees. The United States says it plans to resettle 85,000 refugees in 2016. With your help, LIRS and our national network of partners are ready to do our part!

Barbara Ruhe, the granddaughter of German refugees reminds us: “At this juncture, in this time and place it is my faith that prevails over my politics—I refuse to live in fear, I refuse to condone fanning the flames of fear—I know that we are all being challenged by the events of the day, we have many in need here, needs I am very familiar with—but those fleeing war and political oppression have a greater need, so we must do what we can to at least give them safety so they might survive. We are dealing with a kind of Holocaust—let us not close our doors like we did before. Ultimately good prevails over evil, but we must have the faith and the courage to promote the good.”